Display package



Feb. 15, 1944.

W. E. WEEKSET AL DI SPLAY PACKAGE Filed May 9. 1941 Min/sas r Mar/'En E WEEKS Alva FANK IM MESSA Eli Patented Feb. l5, 1944 ADISPLAY PACKAGE Walter E. Weeks, Baltimore, and Frank W. Messler, Taneytown, Md.; said Messler assigner to said Weeks Application May 9, 1941, Serial No. 392,596

` 3 claims. (o1. 20s-44) The invention relates to particularly to a separate display insert for a carton or box.

An important advantage is that a plurality of contained packages can be held in upright position, one in iront of the other with their upper edge portions in stepped relation and thus all exposed at the front for display purposes, it being of advantage that in accordance' with the preferred operation the upright position and the display position of the packages are maintained without regard to the fact that a portion of the packages may be removed from time to time so that the box is only partially full.

It will be apparent that the display insert may be used with other types or arrangements of contained packages and even with bulk goods and with various types of boxes or cartons.

It is also of advantage that the insert beingA in a separate piece from the container or box can be of thicker material than the box, better adapted to support the packages or other contents in display position but not adapted to the construction of the box and particularly tothe folded type of cover on account of its stiffness and tendency to break when folded. The insert itself has but two fold lines which may or may not be scored or creased, so these fold lines or bent areas are not normally subject to vdestructive bending. These fold lines are parallel to the back of the box and to each other.

It is further of particular advantage that the insert is adapted for enclosure within the carton as it is iilled with packages in normal Yarrangement, and is raised to display position without removing the packages or reaching under them or otherwise disturbing them, the packages being easily and almost automatically raised to display position when the insert is raised or drawn upwardly, being, according to the preferred arrangement, adapted for instantaneous supporting engagement with the top area of the box or carton whereby it is held in the display arrangement. In the accompanying drawing we have illustrated the display insert together witha car-- ton or box to which it is adapted.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the box orv carton :and display insert therein in operative relation, the parts being arranged in the relation which they bear when the carton or box is completely filled with packages on display, the packagesy however, not being shown.

a display package and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the display insert drawn to a reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box or carton with the iiap thrown back and with the insert and the contents of the box removed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line -l in Fig. 1 showing the box or carton with the display insert and the packages therein all being in display position.

Fig. 5 is a section on the same plane showing the lled box or carton with the display insert therein the box being closed for shipment.

Referring to the drawing by numerals each of which is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the different gures, the box or carton indicated by reference character I and best shown in Figs. l and 3 may be of a standard type. In the drawing this box I is shown as having inter-locking bottom iiaps 2 and 3. These may be of any suitable type adapted to close the bottom of the box. As shown, there is a corner ap e glued to the end 5 whereby it connects the iront 6 to the end. The back wall I8 joins the ends 5 and 'l at corner folds 8, and the front, as shown, is provided with a Window 9, al1 of which details are non-essential being included to identify a type of box suitable to this purpose, other types of box being usable.

In the form shown the top of the box is closed by means of end cover aps Ill and II and principally by a main cover iap I2 which is hingedly engaged to the top edge of the rear wall I8 of the box at I 4, the hinge being formed by creasing the material along the line I4. The cover flap I2 is shown as also creased longitudinally at I5 providing a second hinge I5. The

. as described providing a cover cover proper I S is of an area equal to the top area of the box. This leaves a front insert ap Il adapted to enter at the front as best shown in Fig. 5 between the packages and the front wall G of the box.

The details being more or less non-essential, the box construction described is preferably composed of a one piece blank including the cover Ilap I2 which is preferably adapted to be folded proper I 6 of the area of the top of the box and insert iiap I'I of ain-"area greater than the top of the box so that the cover proper I6 being upright as in Fig. 1 the flap ll may be folded downwardly as shown in Fig. l and also in Fig. 4, the end I9 of flap I'I entering back of the packages 20 between the same and the insert 2| to be more fully described.

This insert 2l being a separate pieceis, as illustratecl, adapted to be made and preferably is 2. made of thicker material than the box and is therefore adapted to support the packages 20 in the elevated position in which they are shown in Fig. 4. This thicker material is not well adapted for use in the construction of the folded flap type of box illustrated in Figs. l and 4, as it is too stiff for this purpose both for the interlocking flaps 23 at the bottom andV for the hinging action at it and I which would result in breakage of the material, such a box, i. e., made of the thicker board being unsalable for the purposes in hand or any purpose both because it would be unattractive on account of the tendency to break at the hinges and corners and'be-` cause it is too heavy and stiff and for the same reason needlessly expensive,

The insert 2|, best illustrated inrFig. 2, which is preferably of stiff material which may to advantage be approximately twice the thickness of the paper of which the box is made is preferably of a width at X approximately equal to the corresponding width of the box. Insert 2|-consists of a bottom flap 22 of a width in the direction y approximately equal to the width of the bottom of the .box though it may be varied. This flap 22 is hinged at 25, the axis of the hinge being parallelto the width of the box, the hinge being either sharp or merely a bend in the material asmay be most convenient and satisfactory. The

display insert 2| also comprises a rear or middle ap 25 between the lower hinge 24 and the upper hinge 35 and the insert also comprises an upper orfront iap- 2G beyond the hinge 35 and most conveniently provided at its upper or forward edge Z'lwith a grip tab 28. This tab, if present, is most conveniently hinged at 29.

The display insert is supported in display position in any convenient manner as by means of a tongue or equivalent support 30. This, in the form of the invention shown, is normally maintained in the plane of the to-p ap 25 of the insert, extending downwardly or rearwardly therefrom so thatit swings with said flap 26 relatively tothe plane of the middle nap 25 from which it is cut in the form shown. This tongue or tab 3|! is deected from the flap-25 by swinging the iiap 25 relatively to ap 25 as shown in Fig. 2. Guided by ap 26 tab 30 is conveniently inserted in a cor responding slot 3| in the box adjacent the cover hingelll, other suitable support adapted for automatic engagement being usable. The tab 39 is preferably spaced upwardly from the hinge or bend 24 between -the middle flap 25 and the bottomiiap 22 of said insert 2| by a distance which is less than the height of the box by a distance 2t, 32, Fig. 4, thus providing for raising ap 22 at the rear and its iront end resting on the bottom 23 of the box, the distances being approximate.

When the packages 2li are packed in the carton or box l, the bottom nap 22 of the display insert 2| is placed on the bottom of the box or carton with its bottom hinge 24 in the rear corner 32 of the box. The middle ap 25 of the insert lying flat against the back wall I8 of the box at this time. In which position it is held by a full charge of packages 2i] as shown in Fig. 5. The tab 28, if suchV tab is present, is then bent forwardly and downwardly. The cover iiap |2 of the box is next closed, the cover proper I overlying the tab 28 and closing the top of the box. The front flap I1 of the cover is also tucked down between the load or charge of packages 20 or other load to be displayed and the front E of the box.

The package is thus ready for shipment or stor- Cil age as the case may be, being, if desired, sealed in closed position.

When it is desired to put the packages on display, the cover proper I6 is opened by first releasing the front ap |1 from between the front Wall of the box and the charge of packages 20, the flaps I0, if present, being opened though these naps may be omitted or removed by cutting if desired. The cover is then substantially in the position shown in Fig. 3. The grip or handle tab 28, if one is present, projects upwardly and the top edge 21 of the top flap 2S is exposed. The operator then grasps the handle flap` 28 or the top edge 21 'of the ap 26 and raises the display insert'dr-awing it directly upwardly at the rear, raising ythe packages 2i) to the position shown in Fig. 4. The bottom flap 22 of the insert 2| rests at its front edge on the bottom of the box, the rear hinge 24 being raised to the position. shown in. Fig.. 4 and the top edges 20 of the packages being in stepped relation as in Fig. 4 whereby the printing on said top edges or other insignia is fully displayed to an observer looking downwardly .and to the left in Fig'. 4.

To hold the insert and the packages in this,

position the middle ap 25 resting against the back `I8 of the box, the tab or tongue 30 is inserted inthe slot 3|, the adjacent flap 26 being bentforwardly to deflect it from the plane of the middle'flap 25 of the insert 2| for this purpose. It'isunderstood, however, that other supporting means may bev employed but this is a substantially positive' engaging means as distinguished from a frictional engagement, and a relatively positive engagement is intended.

The middle flap 25 and the top flap 26 of the insertbeing now in'vertical position and the cover member proper It likewise in vertical position, the top cover iiap Il is turned downwardly over the upright flaps 25 and 26 of the insert as well as the grip tab 28,"if present, and the end I9 of the flapv |1 is inserted between the packages 20 and the rear wall I3 of the boxy Figs' 1 and 4.

vIt is important to'note that the packages are not only thus held in display position with their top ends- 20 inv stepped relation as shown in Fig. 4 but as the packages are removed, one or more at a time, the flapv I1 of the cover having a resilient tendency and being-assisted by the incline of the bottom flap 22 of the display insert follows the packages forwardly' as they slide downwardly on' bottom flap 22'and tends to maintain them in upright position as the gradually diminishing load positioned bythe incline of the flap 22 recedes'from the rear of the box toward the front wall.. In this connection, it may be noted that the illustration Fig. l showsthe cover flap I1 not' inthe position which it would normally take when the -box is empty but in the position which it asl sumes when it is iilled with the packages 2|) in' display relation.

It` is also animportant feature of the invention that the display insert 2| is adapted to be packed in the box in its operative relation to the packages as shown inFig. 5 and when the box is opened and the ldisplay insert is drawn upwardly as described, moving the packages to display position, it is not necessary to disturb these packagesfin any way and they. are raised with almost automatic ease and precision, with the insert. It is urthernotable that when the insert is raised todisplay position it is conveniently locked in this position and the flap being turned downwardly over the flap 26 of the insert it provides, as aforesaid, not only a neat arrangement of the display package but the front flap I1 supports the packages in upright position as aforesaid as the load is gradually reduced by withdrawing packages for sale. The insert when raised to inclined position prevents the bottoms of the packages from remaining stationary or sliding backward.

It is also of advantage that the insert being separate from the box and the parts thereof, is permitted to be made thicker than the box and thick enough to support the packages in raised or display position, see Fig. 4l. 'Ihe flap 26 can in some instances when the front side of the iiap is exposed as when the insert is used in a plain box without a cover liap, be used for display advertising or other printed matter.

Having thus described a display insert and display package embodying the features of our invention in what is regarded as the preferred form, we would have it understood that the description is specic and in detail in order that the manner of constructing, applying, operating and using the invention may be fully understood, however, the specific terms are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a box having a cover flap comprising a cover portion proper hinged to the back of the box and a front nap hinged to said cover portion proper, of a display insert separate from said box and cover and consisting of a bottom flap resting cn the bottom of the box in the closed and lled condition of the box and an upright portion substantially parallel to the i back of the box and hinged to said bottom nap, the hinge being at the rear and the upright portion of the insert extending up the rear wall of the box to the top between the rear wall and the contents of the box and means operative when the said upright portion is raised for engaging said upright portion with the rear wall of the box whereby the display insert and the contents of the box are supported in a display position in which the rear of the bottom iiap is raised above the bottom of the box, the forward edge of said flap resting on the bottom of the box, the said front nap of the box being longer than the cover portion proper and adapted to be folded forwardly and downwardly over the said upright portion to be inserted at its end downwardly into the box between said upright and the contents of the box.

2. The combination with a box having a cover ap comprising a cover portion proper hinged to 1 the back of the box and a front ap hinged to said cover portion proper, of a display insert consisting of a bottom nap resting on the bottom of the box in the closed and filled condition of the box and an upright portion hinged to said bottom flap, the hinge being at the rear and the upright portion of the insert extending up the rear wall of the box to the top between the rear wall and the contents of the box and means operative when the said upright portion is raised for engaging said upright portion with the box near the edge whereby the display insert and the contents of the box which may consist of thin packages of a length equal to the depth of the box, said packages being arranged with their long dimension upright are supported in display position with their tops in stepped relation in which display position the rear of the bottom flap is raised above the bottom of the box, the said front flap being longer than the cover portion proper and adapted to be folded forwardly and downwardly over the said upright portion to be inserted at its end downwardly into the box between said upright and the contents of the box, said front ap being resiliently supported whereby it tends to advance the tops of said packages as some of the latter are withdrawn and the contents reduced and as the bottoms of said packages tend to slide forwardly along the said bottom flap.

3. The combination with a single blank type of box having a hinged cover and a front cover nap hinged thereto, of a display insert of relatively stii material thicker than the material composing the box, said insert consisting of a bottom nap adapted to rest on the bottom of the box in the closed position of the box when lled and having an upright portion integral with the bottom flap and adapted to extend up the rear of the box between the latter and the contents, said upright portion being of a vertical width approximately equal to the height of the box so that the top of the insert can be manually engaged to raise the load to display position, means on said upright portion of the insert adapted for engagement with the box near the top to hold the insert and the contents of the box in a display position in which the bottom flap of the insert and the contents of the box are raised at the rear, the front flap of the box cover being adapted to :fold over the top of the insert in display position and to engage the upper portion of the contents of the box from the rear tending to hold said contents in upright position as part of the said contents are withdrawn and the fore and aft dimension of the contents reduced.

WALTER E. WEEKS. FRANK W. MESSLER. 

